Four-way adjustable bed rail unit



y 16, 3 c. E. MURCOTT 3,097,370

FOUR-WAY ADJUSTABLE BED RAIL UNIT Filed April 20, 1962 MAN A it KM KN INVENTOR Cfl/mzfi f. MURCOTT J ATTORNEY United States Patent fiice 3,097,370 Patented July 16, 1963 3,097,370 FOUR-WAY ADJUSTABLE BED RAIL UNIT Charles E. Murcott, Valley Drive, Bay Crest, Huntington, NY. Filed Apr. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 189,173 10 Claims. (Cl. 331) This invention relates to bed rail units having multiple adjustments to thereby adapt the unit for normal adjustable mounting on a hospital bed in raising and lowering the side rails of the unit. More particularly, the invention deals in a unit of the character described, wherein each side rail is composed of telescoping parts to adjust the spacing of the posts of said parts or ends and, further, in adjusting the posts of said rail ends vertically in crossheads of T-shaped telescoping members employed to adjust the rails to varying bed widths, whereby a unit of the character described can be coupled with supplemental mattress supporting frames employing hinged sections in providing leg and back supports for a patient positioned in the bed, the side rails providing a guard at each side of the bed, preventing displacement of a patient occupying the bed while the mattress is in adjusted position.

Still more particularly, the invention deals in a unit of the character described, wherein the T-shaped members are rotatably adjustable in compensating for different angular positions of adjustment of one rail with respect to the opposed rail.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which cer tain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a hospital .bed, illustrating adjustment of one of my units on the bed, with the supplemental mattress supporting frame in angular adjusted positions, parts of the detail structures of the unit being omitted for sake of simplicity.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed view showing the coupling of one of the T-shaped members of the unit with the post of one rail end, showing part of the T-shaped member of an opposed rail in fully collapsed position with the first named member, parts of the construction being broken away and in section and illustrating, in section, one angle iron rail of the supplemental mattress supporting frame, with which the unit is coupled.

FIG. 3 is a partial section on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a broken side and sectional view of one end of one frame showing a modification.

'In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I have diagrammatically shown, in FIG. 1 of the drawings, one of my improved bed rail units mounted in connection with a hospital bed in illustration of the guarding of a patient in the bed as and when the adjustable mattress supporting frame has its back supporting part and leg supporting part in raised positions. This is only illustrative of one of the many uses of the uni-t, the adjustments of which will be later described.

The unit comprises two side rails 10, each rail having a telescoping small diameter end 11, 11 and a large diameter end 12, 12'. The rails 10, 10 are adjustably spaced by pairs of telescoping members sub stantially T-shaped in form, each pair of members employing a small diameter member 13 and a large diameter member 14, both members being tubular in form. The members 13 and 14 have, at their ends, crossheads 115, 15', 16, 16, respectively. Adjustable in 15 and 16 are the apertured posts 17 and 18. Adjustable in 15' and 16' are apertured posts 19 and 20; All of the crossheads have the usual pull-out spring-pin key members 21 adapted to engage the longitudinally spaced apertures in the posts '17, 18, 19 and 20. In order to simplify the showing in FIG. 1, the apertures in the posts 17 and 18 have been omitted. However, in FIG. 2 of the drawing, part of the spaced apertures in the post 18 are indicated at 22 with 21 in engagement with one of the apertures in retaining the crosshead 16 against movement longitudinally of the post 13. It will appear, from the diagrammatic showing in FIG. 1 of the drawing, that the crossheads 15 and 16 are of small diameter to snugly receive the small diameter ends .111, 11' of the rails; whereas, 15', 16' are of larger diameter to snugly receive the larger diameter ends 12, 12' of the rails. In other words, common size tubing is used at each of the rail ends and the more detailed structure of the rails will be later described. It will appear, from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing, that the members 14 have longitudinally spaced apertures 23 and the members 13 support, at their free inner ends, spring actuated key buttons 24, note FIG. 3 of the drawing. The buttons are supported by a loop-shaped spring 25 supported in 13, as clearly seen in FIG. 3, and the button 24 operates in a circumferentially long aperture 26 in 13. This aperture is clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 and, in part, in FIG. 3. This aperture provides rotatable adjustment of 13 and 14 one with respect to the other in providing differential adjustments of one end of one rail with respect to the corresponding end of the opposed rail and is one of the several adjustments provided for the unit.

'It will be noted, from a consideration of FIG. 3 of the drawing, that the button 24 is flanged at its inner end to prevent displacement from the aperture 26. Here again, no attempt has been made to illustrate the apertures 23 or the button 24 in the diagrammatic showing of FIG. 1, but it will be understood that both pairs of members 13 and 14 will be of the same construction.

Slidably and rotatably mounted on the members 13, 14' are bed rail frame couplings 28. These couplings are diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, but one of these couplings is shown in sectional detail in PEG. 2 of the drawing. Each coupling comprises a sleeve portion 29 fitting snugly, but freely, upon the respective members 13 and 14. At 30 I have shown a channel welded to the sleeve, as diagrammatically seen at 31 in FIG. 2. Welded to the outer surface of the channel is a plate 32 which, in combination with the one side of the channel, provides substantial tthreading for the aperture in these parts receiving the clamp screw 33. This screw is adapted to engage the rail 34 of the mattress supporting frame, generally identified by the reference character 35. The frame 35 comprises a plurality of hingedly coupled parts, namely a back rest supporting part 35, a leg rest support, comprising two hinged parts 37 and 38, 36 and 38 being hinged to an intermediate part 39, as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The mattress is diagrammatically shown at 40 in the position assumed thereby, when the parts of the frame 35 are in the adjusted position illustrated.

The frame 35 is supported by a lower spring frame 41, the springs of which are diagrammatically illustrated at 42. The bed includes a foot board 43 and a head board 44, within and between which 35 and 41 are arranged. The angle iron rail 34, shown in PEG. 2, could be of any one of the hinge parts 36, 37 of FIG. 1 and the corresponding parts disposed on the opposed side of the bed and which are not shown in FIG. 1.

Returning now to the structure of the rails 10, 10, it will be apparent that the guard frame of each of the rail ends comprises three vertically spaced horizontal tubes 45, 46, 47 on 11, 45 and 47 being upper and lower tubes and 46 an intermediate tube; 45, 46 and 47' on '11 and 48, 49 and 54} on the end 12 and 48, 49 and 50' on the end 12'. 45, 46 are integrally joined in loops 51 fixed to a perpendicular part 52 which is integral with 47, 52 integrally joining the posts 17 in a loop 53. As the end -11 of the rail is of the same construction, no further detailed description is deemed to be necessary and this would also apply to the ends 12, wherein 48, 49 and 50 are similar to 45, 46 and 47 and 57, 58 and 59 are similar to 51, 52 and 53. The telescoping of the ends 11, 11 in the ends 12, 12 compensates for the spacing of 13, 13 and 14, 14 one with respect to the other in attachment to the mattress supporting frame, as well as in the relative adjustments of the rail ends with respect to each other. For example, in the diagrammatic showing of FIG. 1, the rail ends 12, 12 are in a high adjustment with respect to 15, 16', wherein the ends 11 are in a lower adjustment with respect to 15 and 16. These adjustments are provided to insure proper positioning of the rails 10 and 11 at sides of the bed in the different positions of adjustments of the frame 35. In some instances, the back support only is in raised position and, in other instances, the leg supportsonly are in raised position.

Further, when the mattress is in fiat position, or the frame 35 has its component parts in alinement with the spring frame 41, the two rails 10, 10 can be adjusted vertically to raise and lower these rails and, in some instances, either end of one of the rails can be lowered with respect to the other rail and, in this last adjustment, it is particularly desirable to have the rotatable mountmg of 13 and 14 one within the other, as provided by the circumferentially elongated apertures 26 in the memhers 13.

By virtue of the simplicity in adjustment of the couplings 28 with the frame 35, the spacing between the posts 17, 19, 18 and 20 can be readily controlled and, by proper positioning of the pins 24 in the apertures 23 of the members 14, the spacing between the rails for engagement with beds of different widths is readily accomplished. In the showing of FIG. 2, 13 is arranged in 14 in its fully collapsed position, with the pin 24 shown in the end aperture. However, it will be understood that a number of apertures 23 extend longitudinally throughout the length of 14 in providing adjustments which would fit all standard size hospital bed structures.

It will also be apparent that, by virtue of the rotatable mounting of 13 and 14 one with respect to the other, each rail end can be independently adjustable in movement of the side rails into raised and lowered positions. This is desirable from the standpoint of the Wide spread of the posts 17, 19, 18, 20 in the diagrammatic showing of FIG. 1 of the drawing.

In FIG. 4 of the drawing, 1 have shown a modification which is employed to adapt the rails, or the end posts of the rails, for mounting in crossheads 15, 15; 16, 16' which are of one diameter, thus, standardizing on these crossheads to adapt the rails for mounting in any desired manner in connection with the bed, both ends of each rail being placeable in the crossheads provided The foregoing is accomplished by modifying parts of the rail ends 12, 12, as shown in FIG. 1, which include posts 1920 to make these parts of a diameter common to the diameter of the similar parts at the opposed ends of the rails, namely the parts including the posts 17 and 18.

Considering FIG. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that 19' illustrates part of the post, similar to 19, but of smaller diameter as is'also the rounded portion 59 and the portion 58 joining 59'. In FIG. 4, 58' terminates in a short end 60, differing in this respect from the long end 47. At '50 I have shown a tube, which would be similar in diameter to the tube 50 of FIG. 1. The tube 50 fits snugly on the short end 65 and is fixed thereto in any desired manner and, in the construction shown, a drive rivet 61 is employed. In FIG. 4, I have also shown part of 48" and 57', which would be identical in all respects to 48 and 57 of FIGQl. In this connection, it is understood that, while above reference is made only to the end of the rail, including the post 19, the same would be applicable to the end of the rail, including the post 25.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the only modification of BIG. 4 over FIG. 1 is in making 19 and 2% and their associated pants up to the short end 60 of a diameter the same as the diameter of 17 and 18 and, thus, all of the crossheads 15, 15'; 16, 16 will be of one diameter to receive the various posts at ends of the modified form of frame construction.

One of the distinctive features in my unit resides in the fact that, when the rails are attached to the mattress supporting frame 35, sometimes referred to as the spring frame, adjustment of this frame can be made by the means commonly employed to raise and lower 36, 37--38, separately or collectively, while the posts remain in coupled relationship with the crossheads, the long telescoping and sliding movement of the rail ends facilitating these operations, also keeping in mind the rotatable movement of 13 and 14 one with respect to the other. In the diagrammatic showing of FIG. 1, the ends 11, 12; 11', 12' are in relatively wide-spaced relationship to each other. It will be apparent, however, that, in fully collapsing the rails, 52 on 10, for example, can be brought into reasonably close proximity to the terminal ends of 48, 49 and 50, this movement being checked only by the rounded portion, as at 51. Another advantage of the structure in question resides in the fact that the crossties, comprising the members 13, 14, can be positioned at end portions of the frame or, in other words, near the terminal ends of 36 and 37, thus avoiding any objection to location of these crossties beneath the matress 40.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A multiple adjustment bed rail unit comprising a pair of side rails, each rail having telescoping small and large diameter ends, each rail having elongated depending posts at ends thereof including longitudinally spaced apertures, telescoping substantially T-shaped members including means adjustably coupling said members, means providing rotatable movement of said members one with respect to the other, said members having tubular crossheads, in which said posts are adjustably mounted, means in said crossheads operatively engaging the apertures of said posts in retaining the posts in different positions in said crossheads, and means on said members adjacent the crossheads for detachably and adjustably securing the rail ends in connection with a mattress supporting frame of a bed.

2. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said last named means comprism couplings, each coupling including a sleeve portion slidable and rotatable on an associated member, a channel fixed to said sleeve, and a clamp screw mounted in the channel to operatively engage a rail of said mattress supporting frame.

3. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the means coupling said T-shaped members comprises a spring actuated pin mounted in one member operatively engaging longitudinally spaced apertures in the other member, and said pin being circumferentially movable in said one member in providing the rotatable movement of the members one with respect to the other.

' *4. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the ends of each rail include a frame comprising upper, lower and intermediate tubes, the lower tube being integral with the associated post through a vertical and rounded portion, and said upper and intermediate tubes being integrally joined in a rounded end fixed to said vertical portion.

5. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the posts at small and large diameter ends of each rail are independently adjustable to different heights in their respective crossheads in angularly positioning the rail unit with respect to the bed.

6. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the posts at small and large diameter ends of each rail are independently adjustable to different heights in their respective crossheads in angularly positioning one rail unit with respect to the companion rail unit.

7. In bed rail units of the character defined, a guard rail comprising telescoping small and large diameter guard frame ends, each end including a vertically arranged elongated integral post, means for adjustably clamping the post with a frame of a bed, said means comprising substantially T-shaped members having tubular crossheads, said posts having longitudinally spaced apertures, said crossheads having manually operative means engaging the apertures in the posts in adjusting each of the posts in said crossheads to vary height adjustments of one post with respect to the other post of said rail, and the crossheads of said members being rotatably supported to compensate for said varied height adjustment of the posts of said unit.

8. In bed rail units of the character defined, a guard rail comprising telescoping small and large diameter guard rail frame ends, each end including a vertically arranged elongated integral post, means for adjustably clamping the post with a frame of a bed, said means comprising pairs of substantially T-shaped tubular members having tubular crossheads at ends thereof, said posts having longitudinally spaced apertures, said crossheads having manually operative means engaging the apertures in the posts in adjusting each of the posts in said crossheads, means fixing the members in each pair in different positions of adjustment to compensate for various widths of bed frames, and the crossheads of each pair of members being rotatable one with respect to the other to compensate for the adjustment of the posts in said crossheads.

9. In bed rail units of the character defined, a guard rail comprising telescoping small and large diameter guard rail frame ends, each end including a vertically arranged elongated integral post, means for adjustably clamping the post with a frame of a bed, said frame of the bed having relatively movable hinge sections, said means being coupled with at least two of said sections and comprising members including relatively rotable tubular crosshead ends, said posts having longitudinally spaced apertures, said crosshead ends having manually operated means engaging the apertures in the posts in adjusting each of the posts in their respective crosshead ends, and telescoping movement of the guard rail ends, in combination with the relative rotation of the crosshead ends, facilitating adjustment of the hinge sections of the bed frame While maintaining said posts in coupled relationship with said crosshead ends.

10. A multiple adjustment bed rail unit comprising a pair of side rails, each rail having ends with long telescoping movement one With respect to the other, each end including a vertically arranged elongated integral post, means for adjustably clamping the post with a frame of a bed, the frame of the bed having relatively movable hinge sections, said means comprising telescoping members having tubular crosshead ends, in which said posts are adjustably mounted, said telescoping members having means providing relative rotary movement of said crosshead ends, and said first named means further including means on said members adjacent the crosshead ends for detachably and adjustably securing the rail ends in connection with predetermined sections of said bed frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,220,155 Jachim Nov. 5, 1940 2,817,855 Pratt Dec. 31, 1957 3,002,200 Murcott Oct. 3, 1961 3,063,066 Peck et al. Nov. 13, 1962 

1. A MULTIPLE ADJUSTMENT BED RAIL UNIT COMPRISING A PAIR OF SIDE RAILS, EACH RAIL HAVING TELESCOPING SMALL AND LARGE DIAMETER ENDS, EACH RAIL HAVING ELONGATED DEPENDING POSTS AT ENDS THEREOF INCLUDING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED APERTURES, TELESCOPING SUBSTANTIALLY T-SHAPED MEMBERS INCLUDING MEANS ADJUSTABLY COUPLING SAID MEMBERS, MEANS PROVIDING ROTATABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS ONE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER, SAID MEMBERS HAVING TUBULAR CROSSHEADS, IN WHICH SAID POSTS ARE ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED, MEANS IN SAID CROSSHEADS OPERATIVELY ENGAGING THE APERTURES OF SAID POSTS IN RETAINING THE POSTS IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN SAID CROSSHEADS, AND MEANS ON SAID MEMBERS ADJACENT THE CROSSHEADS FOR DETACHABLY AND ADJUSTABLY SECURING THE RAIL ENDS IN CONNECTION WITH A MATTRESS SUPPORTING FRAME OF A BED. 